Pete Townshend Partners with Primary Wave Music in Multi-Million Rights Deal

On May 14 2026, Pete Townshend, co-founder and principal songwriter of The Who, announced a partnership with Primary Wave Music. The agreement transfers “certain music rights” together with Townshend’s name, image and likeness (NIL) assets to Primary Wave and authorizes joint development of future creative projects. Sources describe the transaction as a nine-figure or “$100 million-plus” deal; financial terms were not disclosed. The partnership also grants Townshend access to Primary Wave’s digital, licensing and sync divisions to expand his social-media footprint and place his songs in film and television.

Hollywood Reporter

Townshend’s publishing interest was previously held by Spirit Music Group, which acquired the catalog in 2012 (reported by The Hollywood Reporter) and again in 2017 for an estimated $100 million (reported by Variety). The catalog includes iconic tracks such as “My Generation,” “Baba O’Riley,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Pinball Wizard,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and “Let My Love Open the Door.” Primary Wave, founded in 2006, has built a portfolio of legacy catalogs (e.g., Bob Marley, Prince, Stevie Nicks) and has positioned itself as an early investor in NIL rights, launching projects such as the Bob Marley Hope Road immersive show.

Variety Magazine

• Pete Townshend – guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of The Who.

PETE TOWNSHEND PARTNERS WITH PRIMARY WAVE MUSIC

• Primary Wave Music – independent music publisher; CEO Larry Mestel; Chief Marketing Officer Adam Lowenberg.

PETE TOWNSHEND PARTNERS WITH PRIMARY WAVE MUSIC

• Spirit Music Group – former holder of Townshend’s publishing rights.

Primary Wave strikes partnership with Pete Townshend for ‘future creative endeavors’ including use of his name, image, and likeness rights

• Universal Music Group – distributor of Townshend’s solo recordings (via Eel Pie/Extended Play) and The Who’s catalog.

Primary Wave strikes partnership with Pete Townshend for ‘future creative endeavors’ including use of his name, image, and likeness rights

• Townshend has sold over 100 million albums worldwide (solo and with The Who).

PETE TOWNSHEND PARTNERS WITH PRIMARY WAVE MUSIC

• The deal is valued at nine figures; Music Business Worldwide cites $100 million-plus.

Primary Wave strikes partnership with Pete Townshend for ‘future creative endeavors’ including use of his name, image, and likeness rights

• Townshend’s “Tommy” musical earned 11 Tony nominations (1993) and 5 wins, including Best Original Score.

Primary Wave strikes partnership with Pete Townshend for ‘future creative endeavors’ including use of his name, image, and likeness rights

• Primary Wave’s latest music fund totals $2.225 billion in commitments.

Primary Wave strikes partnership with Pete Townshend for ‘future creative endeavors’ including use of his name, image, and likeness rights

The acquisition gives Primary Wave control over Townshend’s NIL assets, enabling new branding opportunities, immersive experiences, and biographical content. By integrating Townshend’s catalog into its licensing pipeline, Primary Wave can expand sync placements across film, TV, and digital media. The partnership also illustrates the growing commercial value of legacy artists’ NIL rights, a focus of Primary Wave’s broader strategy.

Hollywood Reporter

Townshend described the collaboration as “a joy” and highlighted the “stimulating” energy of Primary Wave’s team, emphasizing his ongoing creative output across music, writing, and visual art. Primary Wave’s CEO, Larry Mestel, called Townshend “one of the greatest and most influential rock icons” and expressed honor in the partnership. CMO Adam Lowenberg noted that “there is no rock music without the genius of Pete Townshend” and affirmed the company’s commitment to future endeavors.

PETE TOWNSHEND PARTNERS WITH PRIMARY WAVE MUSICHollywood ReporterBillboard

Sources differ on when Spirit Music Group acquired Townshend’s publishing rights—The Hollywood Reporter cites 2012, while Variety references a 2017 acquisition. Both agree on a roughly $100 million valuation but provide no definitive figure for the current Primary Wave deal. Detailed terms of the rights transferred (e.g., specific publishing versus master ownership) remain undisclosed.

Variety Magazine

• “Moving forward with my creative and performative work with Primary Wave, at this time of my life when most creatives might be slowing down, is a joy for me. Their entire team exhibit an energy that is truly stimulating. Challenging too. I need that,” — Pete Townshend, Artist

Billboard

• “I work with musicians and other creatives, and spend a lot of my time building charitable solutions for organisations that help young creative people grow and succeed in this very hard time.” — Pete Townshend, Artist

Variety Magazine

• “I have a feeling Primary Wave are sharpening up a special pair for me.” — Pete Townshend, Artist

Variety Magazine

• “Pete Townshend is one of the greatest and most influential rock icons in music history. We are honored that he has chosen Primary Wave as a partner and collaborator and look forward to creating new opportunities together.” — Larry Mestel, CEO, Primary Wave Music

Hollywood Reporter

• “There is no rock music without the genius of Pete Townshend. An artist, innovator and songwriter who stands alone in his own category of icon and legend. We are extremely honored to partner with Pete on his future endeavors.” — Adam Lowenberg, CMO, Primary Wave Music

Variety Magazine

Primary Wave’s licensing team will pursue sync placements for Townshend’s catalog while the digital department builds his social-media presence. The partnership is expected to generate new branding initiatives, potential immersive productions, and possibly fresh musical or theatrical works drawing on Townshend’s extensive catalog.

Primary Wave strikes partnership with Pete Townshend for ‘future creative endeavors’ including use of his name, image, and likeness rights